Atlético Madrid bid farewell to the Champions League after falling to Real Madrid in a dramatic penalty shootout. Despite the defeat, Diego Simeone expressed pride in his team's performance and issued a challenge to the journalists present at the press conference.
"We feel proud of the team we have and the way we always compete," Simeone stated. "It was a very well-controlled match, we had situations to extend the score, but we lacked the necessary precision," explained the Argentine coach.
The controversy focused on the penalty by Julián Álvarez, which was annulled for a double touch. Simeone, however, claimed he did not see the play clearly. "I was told it seems he touches the ball with his left foot, after kicking with the right. That's how it is, we have to keep fighting."
At one point in the press conference, Simeone challenged the journalists present to raise their hands if they had seen Álvarez's double touch. "Tell me journalists who are here in the room: 'Who saw that Julián touched it twice in the penalty?' If you saw that, let's see, raise your hand."
Despite the elimination, Simeone was satisfied with the effort of his players and the support of the fans. "People leave with the pain of being out, but knowing that we gave everything," he concluded.
Regarding the future, the "Cholo" was optimistic: "Now we will continue fighting for LaLiga, for everything that remains, and Barcelona is coming." A clear message of unity and determination for the remainder of the season. Simeone also highlighted the greatness of Real Madrid, whom he described as "the best team in the world" and praised several of their players.
